Billy Idol-Idolize Yourself

Capitol
2008

Certainly not the first greatest hits compilation for Billy Idol, but this one has 18 total tracks including two new tracks and a DVD with 13 of Idol’s videos. Billy Idol used parts of hard rock, punk rock, rockabilly and even new wave (early on) in his music although it was often very light versions of all or most of those sounds. You normally just got a little of this and a little of that and that worked in many cases for him. The general results were pop songs that varied from the very catchy like “Rebel Yell” and “Dancing with myself” down to worthless and severely dated dribble like “Hot in the city” and “To be a lover”. Plus he hit one various levels in between although he always sneered, twisted his lip and raised his first like he believed in everything he was doing at the time. His solo career has always been a rather hit and miss affair although it probably leans a little more towards the plus category. The first of the pair of new tracks here is John Wayne which wanders around a bit with out a great deal of direction. The other new song is “New Future Weapon” which is a fairly sturdy and busy enough track with solid vocals. Somehow it’s very appropriate for a DVD with many of Idol’s videos to be included on this set. Idol probably did as much for music videos in the early days as they did for him. Sure, they are highly dated now yet the apocalyptic city on a budget and it’s new wave hair-do, rag wearing inhabitants of “Dancing with myself” and the semi-Gothic, but completely cheap oddness of “White Wedding” were very exciting or at least entertaining back when music videos were a fairly new format. Of course there also videos like “Flesh for fantasy” and “Catch my fall” that were mind numbingly bad back then and they have of course gotten worse over time. I certainly have not liked every song that Billy Idol has done yet he has had enough moments and this is a likable enough greatest hits collection.

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